For Alumni

Mobilizing Whitman alumni to stand-up alongside students activists is a powerful symbolic gesture and serves as an invaluable advising resource to the campus campaign. In addition to alumni credibility alumni, our involvement ensures the stability and longevity of the campaign. And ultimately, the financial influence of Whitman alumni cannot be understated. Our conditional monetary support of the College has the capacity to put serious pressure on administrators and board members.

The College counts on Alumni donations, so we have a tremendous power to withhold supporting Whitman until the Board agrees to divest. We’ve outlined terms for divestment and reinvestment to pressure the school to make the right decision. Divest Whitman alumni manage a fund to withhold donations from the college until divestment terms are met. Pressure the College to divest and donate today!

The Responsible Endowments Coalition is a national organization founded to “build and unify the college and university-based responsible investment movement, both by educating and empowering a diverse network of individuals to act on their campuses, and by fostering a national network for collective action.”

As we’re saying no to fossil fuels, we’re saying yes to a stronger clean energy economy! That’s why we’re supporting the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy that is committed to pricing and cutting carbon pollution, spurring growth in Washington’s clean energy economy, and equitably reinvesting in areas hit hardest by climate change, namely communities of color and low income communities. Read more about our two-part approach to transitioning Washington into a clean energy leader.

In the past, a small group of Whitman alumni have played a subtle, yet important role in the Whitman Divestment campaign. The involvement of supportive alumni in the 2014 divestment letter writing campaign played a major role in pushing the Board of Trustees to respond to the 2013 ASWC resolution urging divestment. A few active alumni have also served in various advising roles, making themselves available to students in supportive capacities. The establishment of the Responsible Endowment Fund (REF) creates an easy and very potent way for alumni to buttress students’ efforts on campus. Supporting this fund instead of donating directly to the college is the most direct and effective way for alumni to pressure Whitman to divest.